Stagnant Water of Apocalypse - Chapter 176

 Chapter 176 – Living Apart (2)

In exchange for killing the group of Chinese survivors, a spear and a few potions were given to me by the system.

“This is useless…” I sighed. However, I still took it and stored them in my backpack, as I felt that it would be a waste to just throw them away. I also salvaged the equipment they had on them and put it inside the portal. Judging by the fact that there wasn’t much food in their backpack, I think that they would start to starve real soon.

By the way…

“Why wasn’t I sent out yet?” If things progress like what I thought, this Battle Royale would have ended as soon as the death of the Chineses were confirmed. But since it wasn’t the case, then…

“It means that there’s still someone here. Those stupid bastards.”

The Korean Shelter had spread the warning regarding the area the 3 stagnant waters would be occupying in this event through the Auction House. But it looks like there were still people who were either blind or had balls of steel to ignore it. Maybe they came to this place to kill me. Or maybe they were just passing by by mistake.

However, no matter what the truth is…

“As long as the event is still active, they have to die.”

The battlefield enveloped the airport and the area around it. So naturally, the people inside were affected by it. If they want to survive to see the sun of tomorrow, they would have to fight and survive. If they just run away from the area, they would just die soon as the stats block wouldn’t be released, even after they escaped the battlefield. After all, the only way to remove the effect of the Battle Royale battlefield was to win.

“Anyway, this game is really shit.”

Just what kind of game makes the user die so openly? The murderer system was also fucked up. All in all, this game was really an abnormal game.

I hid in a nearby building and opened the portal. Since the level 30 additional effect had been sealed, no one could come out from it.

“No… It’s fortunate that they cannot do so.” If they were able to cross to Earth right now, they would be forced to participate in the event and had to fight against me.

Upon entering, Sooyeon was waiting for me with a basket in her hands.

“Are you okay, Seongho?”

“I’m okay.” I nodded. “By the way, the event I’m in is still ongoing. I will have to look around to look for another competitor.”

“I’ll give you a buff.” As she grabbed my hand and squeezed it, my stats jumped 1.2 times higher than before.

Shouldn’t it get activated just by touch? Why the squeeze?

Sooyeon then proceeded to hold my big hand as if she liked it and hugged it. The feeling wasn’t bad at all.

“Be careful out there.”

“Oh, yea. Thanks.” I took the basket and went out. Inside the basket were fruits grown in the shelter. Their effects are leagues above the norm thanks to Jiman’s unique ability. For example, the Moon Tangerine, which normally would give the consumer 2 Agility for 3 minutes, was now capable of raising their Agility by 4 for 30 minutes.

“Solar Apple… Moon Tangerine… Royal Honey… Elderwood Sap… Fire Mushroom.”

If I added the effect of these fruits on top of Sooyeon’s buff, I would have an overwhelmingly better stats compared to others.

“I think it’s a bit cowardly, though.” But it couldn’t be helped. Everything was fair in front of love, war, and survival.

As I chewed the fruit and drank the liquid, a torrent of new strength coursed inside my body.

“WIth this much, I will be strong enough to fight against someone with a body-strengthening type unique ability.” Though, killing them with a gun would be a far better conclusion.

I got out of the airport and hid in a three-story building and opened the map. From my experience, I know that the battlefield of Battle Royale was quite wide.

“It will cover the airport and this area.” If someone was hiding, they were more likely to be in the shopping mall. I loaded a few guns and put them inside the portal. After that, I ushered Dingo to go to the portal.

“Once I give you the signal, come out, okay?”

Woof-!!

The little guy which I found being left by his mother in front of my cave was no more. He had now grown big; even bigger than Dingsoon. It’s not as big as the adult from the silver wolves pack I met before, but I was still proud of his size.

Once he entered, I closed the portal. As other additional effects, such as dimensional walls and dimensional prisons, were currently sealed, it was unusable. However, I could still use the portal itself as a shield.

“I need to get the angle right, though…” My stats were also lowered, so if someone attacked me from behind, I would suffer quite a bit of damage.

“I’ll have to find them ahead of time.” The Battle Royale event blocks the use of all items, but it did not prevent the items from modern civilization. In other words, guns and drones were usable. Of course, pepper bombs, paralysis poison, and net guns were included in it.

“I’ll use these guys again after a long time.” These days, everything was solved by guns, so there was no need to use these items. I took the drone out once I stood on the roof and flew it. As I was making a circle around the shopping district, I suddenly heard gunshots and the feed from the drone was cut off.

“What the hell?”

You shot a drone with a gun?

We got a few new drones, so the damage wasn’t great, but it was still a waste.

“You bastard. Let’s do it your way, then.”

The identity of the shooter was most likely a remnant of the Itaewon Clan. Or, even if I don’t want to think about it, it was someone who stole a gun from the Korean Shelter.

“Worst case scenario… It’s Hyunwoo.” Hopefully my hunch was wrong. No matter how short-tempered he was, the Hyunwoo I knew was someone who would follow the instructions he got thoroughly. He was someone who would never disobey Jang Won-taek’s order.

I wanted to check the area where the drone was shot. I was thinking about flying the drone again, but just before I did it, I thought of Yoohyeon.

“His paper plane should be able to cross the portal.”

I went inside the portal and looked for Yoohyeon, but he wasn’t there.

Let’s see…

The only people left in the shelter were Sooyeon, Jiman, and Yeowool.

“The other went to the valley.”

“Is that so?” I said to Yeowool. “Can you help me fly a paper airplane, then?”

“Would that work?”

“Should be. No person can cross over, but things should be fine.”

“Okay then. What am I looking for?”

“It’s not what, but who.”

The paper plane, which Yeowool used, passed through the portal and rose to the sky. After making a round for a while, it landed on the roof I was on. I took the cue and entered the portal once again.

“There’s a rooftop of a convenience store nearby right? I see someone there.”

“How many… no. Of course there must be just one. So, just wait there.”

Her expression darkened.

“It’s a mess out there. People are getting hurt and dying…”

“It’s nothing new, isn’t it? World has become like that for quite a while now.”

“Things are different from normal, aren’t they? I heard that the population of the Republic of Korea will be reduced a lot thanks to this event.”

“It’s unavoidable.” After all, only one person can survive each battlefield. If a dungeon miraculously opened inside a battlefield, death would be avoidable for most people. But a miracle was called a miracle because it didn’t happen just because people wished for it.

Yeowool squatted and shook her head.

“No matter how hard I think about it, this game is really strange. Isn’t the existence of the murderer system is a rule for us not to kill other survivors recklessly? But why did this kind of event show up…”

I put my hand on her shoulder.

“You don’t have to think about it deeply. No one was in control of all these situations, after all.”

If there is, they would have died in the hands of the doctors and nurses.

Yeowool opened her eyes and looked at me.

“Are you saying… it’s just a crazy game overlaid on reality?”

“It is. Though, not just any ordinary game but a shitty game with an impossible difficulty.”

“Even if you said that, you still played the game longer than most people…”

“Well, it’s a fun game.”

“Hahhhh…” After sighing, Yeowool flew the paper plane again. After quite some time, she said hastily.

“He went down from the roof just now. He also had a long gun.”

“Continue to follow him.”

I pushed Dingo out of the portal and went out. If the bastard leaves the battlefield, the tracking system would be activated, revealing his traces. But he didn’t seem to have any intention of going out.

Yeowool’s paper airplane went round and round several buildings.

“Wait.” I said to Dingo as I pushed a Solar Apple to my mouth and ran along the paper plane. Few moments after that, another gunshot was heard.

Tatang! bang!

The paper plane that had been shot fell down helplessly and I stopped.

The guy is close.

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As soon the Battle Royale event began, the Auction House fell into mayhem. Amongst the complaint, no one uttered a word about the stats blocking and the circumstances where they had to fight with the person near them as it was the basics. They were mainly complaining about the fact that there would only be one person who could survive on each battlefield. The light and joking atmosphere which could be seen everyday was nowhere to be seen; Only swear words and screams filled the Auction House.

-You bastard, why did you come to my place?
-Your place? Rapwi was next door you bastard! Do you want me to go there?
-You can just go to Mt. Muak, Mt. Muak!
-You’re really smart. They say you have to be alone in the mountains in order to not trigger the Battle Royale. Are you saying I have to live in the mountains for the rest of my life?

In other words, everyone who is involved in the event should be the last man standing if they want to go back to normal. The good news was people spread it well. It was a feat possible due to the information they obtained in advance.

However, the Chinese who come from Bucheon did not care about that. The complaints of survivors were heard from the battlefields around Gangseo-gu and Yangcheon-gu.

-What are these motherfuckers doing? Why are they traveling in groups?
-The Chinese who were in Bucheon drove all Koreans out.
-Are they an idiot? Do they know what happened in Battle Royale?
-I think they know but don’t care about it. Those bastards throw humans as baits at the ghoul flowers just to collect Ecstasy, after all.

Just like Seongho who fought seven Chinese at the airport, fights against Chinese happened everywhere. Meanwhile, Jang Won-taek, who was hiding somewhere in Gangnam, sighed while controlling the drone. The Chinese coming from Bucheon looked like Chinese who invaded the West Sea with boats.

‘Things are worse than I thought…’ He was the one who heard the detailed explanation from Seongho. However, when the Battle Royale actually happened, it was impossible for him to face the horror he saw.

Hundreds of battlefields were created across Seoul. That means all but a few hundred survivors will die.

Are there any other brutal events like this throughout history?

“Battle Royale is taking place not only in Seoul, but in every region…” It would not be an exaggeration to say that Korea, or even the whole world, was currently swept away by the Battle Royale event. In the end of the event, there would be very few people who win and survive.

He rubbed his eyes with his wrinkled hands. In fact, even as of now, several people hid around the spare shelter where he was. The chief of staff and Major Kim were in different places, so he had no option but to protect himself.

Jang Won-taek checked his pistol and laughed blankly.

“If the dungeon didn’t open, we would all be dead.” Battle Royale ended only when everyone but the winner died. Some survivors hid in mountains and seas, but to no avail. After all, as soon as they set foot on an inactive battlefield, Battle Royale would begin.

‘What is this? A ‘die in public’ event?’ Jang Won-taek frowned.

Is it someone’s plan to reduce the number of survivors because there are too many people?

Of course he knew it wasn’t. According to the information obtained by the stagnant waters, the doctors and nurses they fought at the subway station and hospital were also people who tried to survive. In other words, they were also victims of the apocalypse. That means, no one controlled this situation.

Jang Won-taek stroked his white beard and turned to the Auction House and checked the Korean Shelter’s main item’s comment section. There was only one person who was protecting the whole of Yeouido. It was Major Kim.

-What is the situation over there? If it’s hard to answer, you can do it later.
-I just killed two people. They are all approaching me like an ant into sugar.
-It is unavoidable because it is known that there are a lot of supplies there… Will the defense go well?
-Leave it to me. I will definitely protect it.
-I believe only in you.

Jang Won-taek tried to contact Seongho, but smiled bitterly as he didn’t answer. Now, all that was left for him was fending off the others who were coming for him.

Then he heard some whispers from outside of his hiding place. Jang Won-taek was nervous and checked his weapon. When he peeked outside, he could see survivors flocked around the reserve shelter. Whoever they are, they won’t leave him alone.

“Guess I will have to fight.”

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‘Found you!’

Goo Myung-jun, who was in the Gonghang-dong area, found I Love Gimbap and grinded his teeth. His anger flared once again at that moment. Because of that bastard, the entire Itaewon Clan collapsed. After he killed the clan leader and several others died, the rest of the members began to steal supplies from the clan they once served.

They even have the guts to say that nothing could be done and that they need to elect a new clan leader. As if that was not enough, there’s also members who fight over the ownership of guns.

With those things happening right after each other, it was inevitable that the clan collapsed.

‘It was all that bastard’s fault.’

Goo Myung-jun put him on the iron-sight but soon took his eyes off him. Immediately killing him was not enough. He wanted to face him and make him beg for his life before pulling the trigger.

‘My stats and that guy’s stats shouldn’t be much different because of the Battle Royale’s effect.’

One bullet should be enough to send him to the afterlife.

If he had a Resurrection Scroll? He just needs to kill him again.

If he didn’t kill him now, he’ll get stronger again, and he will be the one who was in danger.

‘I can’t have that. I’d rather kill him here…’ If he succeeds, he would be admired by people as the person who killed I Love Gimbap.

‘Just you wait, you bastard.’’

He went downstairs and waited for I Love Gimbap. At the moment he heard footsteps approaching him, he jumped out of the corner and aimed the gun in his hand at him.

Bang-!

Concrete shards from the ground around Seongho’s feet scattered away as he tried to dodge the aim.

“If you move even slightly, I’ll shoot right away.”

When Myung-jun raised his gun, Seongho gently raised his hand.

“I wondered why the Battle Royale’s didn’t end yet, turns out you are here.”

“Bastard. You pretend as if you didn’t know. I know you saw me through the paper airplane.”

Both of them looked at each other from a distance and had a brief battle of nerves. It was Myung-jun who acted first, though. He couldn’t hide his joy that he held the life and death of I Love Gimbap.

“Ha… Turns out, I Love Gimbap is no big deal. Hey, let’s hear your name.”

“Did you not know? My name is Kang Seongho.”

“Kang Seongho? It’s a pretty common name.”

“You thought I would have an alien-like name?”

“Yeah. After all, you are acting like a complete psychopath.”

“Psychopath is an exaggeration. All I did was kill those who attacked me.”

When Seongho laughed, Goo Myung-jun licked his lips with his tongue. He just needed to pull the trigger and he would die. However, before that, he wanted to hear some information. After all, there were only two of them here.

“Let me ask you one thing. How did you kill our clan leader?”

“Ah, you mean in front of the museum?”

“Yeah… our clan leader seems like a funny person, but he has a knack for stealth. If he makes up his mind and hides, no one will find him. How did you find him?”

“I saw the trajectory of the grenade he shot at me.”

“…you saw that?”

Goo Myung-jun’s eyes opened wide as he heard Seongho’s words. The grenade was, of course, slower than bullets. The shooter could clearly see the trajectory, even if it’s only for a brief moment. But seeing it from the point of view of the victim was nothing but absurdity.

‘Isn’t that crazy?’

He swallowed dry saliva and tightened his fingers on the guns. He thought he would regret it later if he didn’t kill him here.

“Anyway, you must die. Do you know why? Because you made me like this.”

“Did you come all the way from Itaewon to kill me?”

“It’s been hard… But since I can kill you, it’s worth it.”

“Are you going to kill me? Do you think that was possible?”

The moment Seongho tilted his head, Goo Myung-jun pulled the trigger. However, the sight he expected to happen did not happen. Rather than the bullet piercing through his head, the bullet bounced off something invisible.

“Wha-what?”

While he was panicking, Seongho pulled something out of his backpack. In the next moment, something flew into Myung-jun’s forehead as he shifted his position and aimed the gun again.

Puff-!!

The pepper bomb exploded and the peppet powder covered his face. Goo Myung-jun, who was about to pull the trigger, did not know what to do as terrible pain enveloped his senses.

“ACKKKKKKKKKK!!!!”

The pepper bomb was something which made even werewolves go crazy, so it was only natural that a human would also feel crazy, although not as much as a werewolf, which has an increased sensitivity on their senses. Seongho pulled out his gun and aimed it at him as the guy rolled over the floor.

Bang-!! Bang-!!

Goo Myung-jun’s movements stopped with two gunshots.

“You talk too much.” Seongho chided in a cold voice. Even if you have something to say, it is better to do it after you kill the enemy.

When Seongho finally became the sole winner of the event, three items appeared in front of him.

“One resurrection scroll, the other two…” was surprisingly a Crime Pardon Scroll and an item slot expansion. Seongho hid his joy, tore the item slot expansion scroll and packed other items in his backpack.

Thanks to the completion of the Battle Royale event, some of his stats returned and some of his skills could be used once again.

“Out of all the skills I have, why did it have to be Eye Of Truth!”

Additional effects were also opened up to level 10, allowing 4 dimension slots to be used. Therefore, Seongho put his equipment into the dimension slot. When he checked the Auction House, he came to know that both Seokhyun and Da-jeong couldn’t even see people.

-Oh, it’s completely out of business. There’s nothing but silence here!
-Seongho, how is it there?
-I got 1st place and the event is over. The prize is a Resurrection Scroll, a Crime Pardon Scroll and an item slot expansion ticket.
-Fuck, why did no one come here?

Definitely because they’re afraid of them.

Seongho muttered to himself and looked through the other auctions. As expected, all kinds of rumors were circulating. In particular, the gossip that the battlefield in a certain area was over was buzzing. Whoever posted it must have taken advantage of the psychology of people who want to go to a safe place.

“It’s going to be a mess even when it’s over.”

Those who survived Battle Royale would not believe any information they read. So, it was a terrifying event. At that time, a huge portal appeared next to Seongho. It was bigger from his own portal or even dungeon. Seongho didn’t know what it was at first, but when he turned his head, he was startled.

“To think this thing is already out at this time.” As far as he knows, there’s only one thing which had a portal this large as an entrance.

The Great Labyrinth.

One of the end contents of Survival Life.